Little Rock police fatally shoot man pointing gun at uncleLITTLE ROCK— Little Rock police say an officer fatally shot an armed man while investigating a reported disturbance. A police report says officers responding to multiple reports of a disturbance early Tuesday found 46-year-old Roy Lee Richards pointing a long gun at his uncle. The report says one officer "engaged" Richards and fired several shots. It doesn't say whether Richards opened fire. The officer and another officer then began resuscita...

Lawsuit filed challenging Arkansas panhandling lawLITTLE ROCK — The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a disabled veteran and a homeless man challenging the constitutionality of an Arkansas law that prohibits panhandling for money or food. The lawsuit was filed Monday on behalf of Michael Rodgers, a veteran convicted of loitering with intent to beg, and Glynn Dilbeck, a homeless man who's been criminally cited for begging to help pay his daughter's medical...

Hutchinson says he's looking at alternate medical pot planLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday he's looking at an effort to legalize a limited form of marijuana for patients if two medical pot proposals fail in next month's election, but has questions about how the alternate proposal would comply with federal law. The Republican said he's neutral on legislation Rep. Dan Douglas says he'll introduce next year if voters reject the competing medical marijuana proposals. Douglas' propo...

Hollywood stars makes unscheduled stop in Little RockLITTLE ROCK— An American Airlines flight from Nashville to Los Angeles with two Hollywood stars on board made an emergency landing in Little Rock after a suspicious odor was reported in the cabin. The aircraft landed Saturday at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. American Airlines spokeswoman Alexis Aran Coello told Little Rock television station KTHV (http://bit.ly/2eKmZwc ) that the flight landed safely and no injuries were repor...

New Arkansas prisons publicity policy adoptedLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Board of Corrections has adopted a new policy restricting publicity access to only members of the news media who have credentials. The board approved the new policy Monday, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2egGyfY ). The policy applies to the Department of Corrections, but doesn't include county jails. Spokesman Solomon Graves wrote the policy and said it clarifies previously implemented rule...

Boozman portrays Eldridge as gift from Obama in new adLITTLE ROCK — Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman launched his first negative television ad on Friday against Democratic challenger Conner Eldridge in his Arkansas re-election bid, portraying the former federal prosecutor as a gift from President Barack Obama to a predominantly conservative state. The 30-second spot shows a box delivered to a home in Arkansas with the White House logo and the words "Contents: Conner Eldridge" emblazoned on the s...

Prosecutor seeks death penalty in Arkansas officer's killingFORT SMITH — Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for a man charged in the fatal shooting of an Arkansas sheriff's deputy. Billy Jones, 35, is charged with one count of capital murder in the death of 66-year-old Sebastian County Sheriff's Cpl. Bill Cooper. Jones is accused of killing Cooper on Aug. 10 after Cooper and others responded to a domestic disturbance call near Hackett. Jones also faces 10 counts of attempted capital murde...

3 states say they denied Russia request to monitor electionOKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma and at least two other states said Friday that they have denied efforts by Russian officials to be present at polling stations during the election, requests the U.S. State Department's spokesman dismissed as "nothing more than a PR stunt." The Oklahoma secretary of state's office said it received a letter in August from Russia's consulate general in Houston seeking to have one of its officers present at a voting precin...

Panel approves expansion for NW Arkansas charter schoolsLITTLE ROCK — A state panel has approved expansion plans for two charter schools in northwest Arkansas and gave the OK to Arkansas' first adult-education charter school. The Charter Authorizing Panel on Wednesday approved the expansion request from Fayetteville's Haas Hall Academy, which wants to open a campus in Rogers to accommodate up to 500 students. The committee also approved a 400-seat expansion request from Arkansas Arts Academy in Rog...

Police: 5 juveniles arrested for school bomb threatsHOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — Hot Springs police say five juveniles have been arrested on felony charges for five recent bomb threats against local middle and high schools. The Sentinel-Record (http://bit.ly/2ebBKvY ) reports that the juveniles include both males and females, ranging in age from 13 to 16 years old. Police say the juveniles called in a bomb threat on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 as well as three times on Monday. Authorities say they have bee...

Cut in state funding for War Memorial Stadium proposedLITTLE ROCK — Gov. Asa Hutchinson has proposed decreasing state funding for War Memorial Stadium by about half. The proposal would decrease aid for the fiscal year starting July 2018 from nearly $900,000 to about $448,000, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2eVixO5 ). Hutchinson also recommended a feasibility study to provide an assessment of future uses for the stadium and financial sustainability. The University of Ark...

Arkansas court says cases need review after flawed forensicsLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas' high court issued opinions Thursday sending two cases back to lower courts to consider whether flawed testimony from FBI forensics experts is enough to overturn the convictions of two men. The justices said there was enough evidence to ask the lower courts to consider the arguments made by attorneys in both cases for writs of error coram nobis, a legal move that allows a court to reopen a case when a substant...

Arkansas ex-judge ordered held on federal chargesLITTLE ROCK — A former Arkansas judge accused of giving lighter sentences to defendants in exchange for nude photos and sexual acts will remain in jail for now. A federal magistrate judge sided with prosecutors during a detention hearing Wednesday, denying bond for former Cross County District Judge Joseph Boeckmann. U.S. Judge Joe Volpe says he will allow defense attorneys to propose in filings, and that he would consider, secure detention wi...

Pine Bluff street reopens after 2015 building collapsePINE BLUFF — A street in downtown Pine Bluff has been reopened after being closed since early 2015 when two buildings collapsed. The block has been closed to traffic since February 2015, when a vacant Veterans of Foreign Wars building and the former Band Museum collapsed. It reopened Tuesday, according to the Pine Bluff Commercial (http://bit.ly/2dOg3wG ). The two properties were purchased by Danny Bradshaw, and he began removing the brick and...

Arkansas medical pot opponents launch first TV adLITTLE ROCK — Opponents of medical marijuana initiatives in Arkansas launched a TV ad Wednesday claiming competing proposals on the November ballot would lead to drug abuse, while two state law enforcement agencies said they'd need funding increases if the drug is legalized. Arkansans Against Legalized Marijuana, a coalition of groups opposed to the medical pot proposals, said it's spending about $50,000 to air the 30-second spot statewide ove...

Monticello mayor pleads not guilty in tampering caseMONTICELLO — Monticello's mayor has pleaded not guilty to fraudulently funneling funds from the city and soliciting unrepaid loans. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2dYf5zF ) reports that Mayor Zack Tucker is charged with public-record tampering and abuse of office. Authorities say Tucker moved funds to cover Arkansas Forest Festival debts. Tucker is the chairman of the festival's committee. Arkansas State Police say Tucker moved t...

Teen captured after short escape from Arkansas facilityDERMOTT — Officials say an 18-year-old who escaped from a juvenile detention unit in southeast Arkansas early Tuesday has been taken into custody. Arkansas Department of Human Services spokeswoman Amy Webb said Jacob Goff-Stanick of North Little Rock escaped at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday from the unit in Dermott by climbing a fence topped with barbed wire and shimmying along the administrative building. Webb says guards saw the teen on camera, ch...

Arkansas prosecutor: Officer-involved shooting justifiedFAYETTEVILLE — A prosecutor says two Arkansas police officers who killed a 26-year-old man earlier this month won't face charges related to the shooting. Washington County prosecutor Matt Durrett says Springdale Police Sgt. Josh Kirmer and Officer Roger Eubanks were justified when they killed Zachary Sutton after he fired on them during a traffic stop. Police say Sutton was riding a scooter on Oct. 5 when he was stopped for a traffic offense. ...

Little Rock police moving closer to body camera useLITTLE ROCK — The Little Rock Police Department is nearly ready to accept bids for body camera equipment. Assistant Police Chief Alice Fulk said the police department and the city attorney's office has been working to develop a body camera policy that balances privacy rights and departmental transparency. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2dYzdS3 ) reported that the law enforcement agency will be ready to accept bids in the coming w...